Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have issued a stern warning over the slow execution of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by Federal Government, which was reached in order to avert a planned nationwide strike.
The unions threatened that they could resolve to use of industrial action if the agreement is not implemented by the deadline -October 30.
The union members are, however, already being mobilised across the country.
The NLC’s Head of Public Affairs and Information, Benson Upah, expressed his displeasure over the nonchallant attitude of the Minister of Labour and Employment.
“No, we are not satisfied,” Upah had said in a press interview. “The government could act more quickly and effectively.”
Backdrop
On October 1, the Federal Government and the national leadership of the NLC and TUC came to a deal whereby all federal workers would get N35,000 beginning in September and continuing until a new national minimum wage was implemented.
The resolution stated that federal personnel would receive the pay award for a period of six months, and states were urged to provide their employees with a similar benefit.
On October 3, the unions had threatened to go on a national strike, but this was postponed until the pay award, cash transfer, and a few other resolutions were put into effect within thirty days of the MOU’s signing.
As the thirty-day time limit nears its end, out of the 15 demands contained in the MOU, the Federal Government has only met a few, which include ordering the payment of the N35,000 wage award and making provision for 55,000 compressed natural gas conversion kits to begin the Autogas conversion programme.